REVIEW TOUR: Ride - Or Die Trying - Paul Drayton

 

A brutally honest and hilarious memoir about addiction recovery, fame-adjacent life and learning how to start again.

When Paul Drayton briefly finds himself in prison in 2022 after a dangerous driving conviction, he is forced to confront the truth about the life he has been living. What follows is a candid and deeply personal journey through addiction, relationships, identity and recovery.

From growing up in Sunderland to navigating London’s nightlife scene, falling in love with Alan Carr to discovering what it feels like to live beside fame without sharing the spotlight, Paul reflects on the highs, the chaos and the mistakes that shaped his life.

A late ADHD diagnosis at fifty and determined to rebuild his future, he begins the difficult process of understanding himself and creating a new chapter.

Honest, self-aware and funny, this is a memoir about accountability, resilience and the courage to start again.

What did I think?

I didn't realise that Paul Drayton is Alan Carr's ex-husband when I first heard about Ride - Or Die Trying; I wanted to read it as Paul is a local lad from Sunderland and I'm so pleased that he's a Mackem otherwise I might have missed this fabulous book.

Paul Drayton is very brave to put his story out there, especially after all of the negative press he experienced when he was struggling with his addictions.  In his raw and brutally honest memoir, he gives the reader a glimpse into the showbiz lifestyle and the effects of living in the shadow of a famous other half. 

Paul has an amazing sense of humour and that shines through every page.  It's not a laugh on every page kind of book as Paul touches on some tough and poignant subjects but each chapter is filled with honesty, emotion and a lot of inner strength.  I don't know Paul but I feel very proud of him for sharing his story with the world.

As you would expect from someone who was married to the Chatty Man, it's a very chatty book and Paul's natural dry north-eastern wit adds a very entertaining and funny slant to the stories.  There are several personal photographs included that accompany the prose and give the reader further insight into Paul's life.  It's not an exposé on Alan Carr, it's very much Paul's own story and I loved it.

Honest, poignant and entertaining, Ride - Or Die Trying is a cracking memoir that had me laughing one minute and crying the next.  It's bold, inspirational and well worth a read.

I received a gifted paperback for the Literally PR Online Book Review Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Hottest Girl at Burn Camp - Krystal Evans

When Krystal Evans was 14, the house that she shared with her mother and little sister burned down. Narrowly escaping by breaking a window and jumping out head-first Krystal suffered burns, smoke inhalation, and the unimaginable tragedy of losing her sister. That Evans has written such a warm and disarmingly funny memoir about what led the family to that fatal night, and how they coped with its aftermath, is nothing less than astonishing.

This is a spellbinding story of growing up poor in America, living with a mentally ill mother, and having a wolf for a pet (really). From the indignities of being rejected from a summer camp for burn victims, to putting up with a succession of her mom's increasingly shady friends and partners, Krystal and Katie's childhoods were marked by adult chaos, inappropriate behaviour, and never knowing what the next day would bring.

But, writing with joy, skill and candour, we witness Krystal growing as a person from the ashes of disaster into the confident, funny, and (reasonably) well-hinged adult, mother and comedian that she is today.

At the same time, funny, tragic and inspiring, it is the story of a family dangerously close to the edge, and of a girl struggling to make her way into adulthood, once the smoke clears.

 

What did I think?

Krystal Evans is a stand-up comedian so it's comforting to know that it all turns out ok in the end for her as her memoir is completely heart wrenching.  I wanted to reach into the book and give young Krystal a big hug as her family suffered such a devastating tragedy.

When I was reading this true story, I really wished it had been fiction as it broke my heart when Krystal lost her little sister Katie in the fire that destroyed their home.  It must have been very cathartic for Krystal to write this book and I was in tears at the end as her story really got to me.  It will be heartening for Krystal to know that Katie's memory will live on in the hearts of every reader who picks up this book.

It's often difficult to read Krystal's story but she makes it as lighthearted as she possibly can with a sprinkling of humour here and there.  It's not a funny story by any means but it is written in such an entertaining way that it is very easy to read.

Heartbreaking and inspirational, The Hottest Girl at Burn Camp is an emotional and powerful true story that will stay with me long after I turned the final page. 

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Next Chapter - Rebecca Ryan

Lily Brown is ready to turn the page and see what adventure awaits . . .

Lily Brown prides herself on her organised, surprise-free life. Whether it's charity yoga for polar bears or crafting a ninety-six-piece balloon arch, Lily always goes the extra mile. But when her adoptive father asks her to reconnect with her birth mother, Lola Starr – a legendary pop punk singer who vanished from fame – Lily decides to venture off the well-trodden path.

With her best friend Seb, Lily tracks Lola to her humble hotel on the beautiful Isle of Skye in Scotland, far from the glamorous life she imagined. Hiding the truth, Lily gets to know Lola and finds a kind, free-spirited woman. If life wasn’t complicated enough – she meets Noah, a charming travel writer on a quest to discover hidden gems.  

As Lily takes a chance and embraces new possibilities, she begins to question whether the safe rules she’s built her life around are what she really needs.

 

What did I think?

Oh Rebecca Ryan, if I thought I loved your first two books I positively adored your third!  Good things really do come in threes and The Next Chapter is simply stunning.

Lily has always known she was adopted and, after losing her mum at the tender age of 18, she is devastated to lose her lovely dad.  Her dad's dying wish is that Lily reads a letter he has left her about her birth mother and when she eventually does read it, it throws into doubt everything she thought she knew.

My heart totally went out to Lily as she struggled to cope with both her grief and finding her birth mother, famous singer Lola Starr.  Being a bit of an overthinker myself, it really made me laugh at Lily's thought processes and how well her friends and family know her.  I loved Lily's relationship with her best friend Seb and how they have been friends through thick and thin.

When Lily and Seb head to the Isle of Skye to track down Lola, there's a new twist on the fake dating trope: fake siblings and it's absolutely hilarious.  The lies just spiral out of control and it causes Lily more angst when she falls in love with travel writer Noah.  I can't remember ever laughing so much when reading a romance novel; it is making me smile just thinking about it now.

Beautiful inside and out, The Next Chapter is a fabulous emotional rollercoaster of a book that made me laugh and cry.  With family and friendship at its heart, it's a book that is filled with love and laughter and I can't recommend it highly enough.  An easy five stars!

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Once Upon a Tyne - Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly with Andy Milligan

Ant and Dec hold a special place in the hearts of TV viewers everywhere. This is their epic story, with never-before-seen photography and the very best tales from their 30 years in TV.

Ant: As the old Chinese proverb says, 'Good things come in pairs'.

Dec: And as another Chinese proverb says, 'If you've been in a double act with your best mate for thirty years, why not write a book about all your most memorable moments in three decades of showbusiness?'

Ant: Less catchy that one, isn't it?

Dec: But no less true. And after three decades together, we're writing that book. Covering everything from a pirate radio storyline in Byker Grove through to the biggest shows on telly, this is our story.

Ant: Thirty years, eh? Amazing.

Dec: Absolutely. Especially when you consider we are both still 27 years old.

From their modest beginnings in Byker Grove through to their "unique" time as pop stars and an award-laden TV career, the last three decades have flown by in the blink of an eye. They've also featured an incredible cast of supporting characters, including their first scriptwriter (an unknown comedian called David Walliams), Saturday night fun and games with countless Hollywood A-listers, and celebrities they torture - sorry, work with - every year in the jungle. Told through the lens of every TV show they've made, as well as everything they've learnt along the way, this is the riotously funny journey of two ordinary lads from Newcastle who went on to achieve extraordinary things.

What did I think?

Being of an age where I rushed home from my school in Newcastle to watch Byker Grove, I feel like I've grown up with Ant and Dec on my telly.  It's amazing to think that these two lads from Tyneside have been on our screens for 30 years and we're not even sick of them yet!  They continue to entertain millions and scoop armfuls of awards because, like Morecambe & Wise, they are the perfect pairing.  There's only one Ant & Dec and this is their story (so far). 

Written in their own imitable style the lads' voices come through loud and clear; I'm sure it would be even better on audiobook but I read the hardback with full colour photos included.  You don't get photos on audiobook, so there!  I do think that it's well worth getting the hardback to see the brilliant, and often hilarious, colour photos in all their glory.  I love the book format that takes the reader on a chronological journey of TV shows from Byker Grove to DNA story, with a chapter being dedicated to each venture.  

I haven't watched everything that Ant & Dec have ever done but I'm familiar with the shows so it was really interesting to read some of the funny stories I hadn't heard before and recall those I had forgotten.  From kettle stealing Alan Shearer to Madonna's wardrobe malfunction at The Brits they're all in Once Upon a Tyne.  What you won't find are the gory details of Ant's fall from grace as this is a celebration of the working relationship of Britain's favourite pair of entertainers.

Funny, honest and entertaining, Once upon a Tyne is so easy and fun to read but it should definitely come with a warning: may cause laughter.  You can't help but read it with a smile on your face as Ant & Dec are the best anti-depressant you can get without prescription.

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Between Here and Knitwear - Chrissie Gittins

These twenty-two cleverly linked stories, written over two decades, trace a life from childhood to middle age. Beginning in Lancashire in the ‘60s and ‘70s, they follow a young girl as she becomes aware of what it means to be a daughter, a sister, a lover and a woman in a family where the relationships are constantly changing. From a disappeared clutch of curlew’s eggs to the last piece of furniture left standing in a home, these bleak and funny stories bolster what is lost into poignant narratives; told with lyricism, economy and wit, they are observed with the unflinching eye of an incisive witness. 

What did I think?

Between Here and Knitwear comprises 22 short stories by Chrissie Gittins but they feel more like chapters than individual stories as they flow so nicely from one to the other.  I certainly couldn’t stop reading one chapter after another as each little snippet of Chrissie’s life emerges.  Each story is so poignant, emotional and heartfelt that at various times I laughed, I cried and I identified with the author.

Chrissie has set out chapters of her life in terrific detail, allowing the reader a glimpse into her thoughts and feelings.  She has picked up on things that others might have taken for granted yet will certainly have experienced in their own life, such as reminiscences of her first period, first kiss and first love.  I found myself getting quite emotional as Chrissie’s parents’ health was explored – her Mum’s frequent hospitalisations and her Dad moving into a care home.  I had really come to care about Chrissie and her family as so much emotion has been poured into this book.  As her writing-style is so lyrical, and Chrissie is not afraid to bare her soul, the reader is in no doubt that they are reading a very special book indeed.

Between Here and Knitwear is a frank observation of life and I’m sure that all women will identify with Chrissie in at least one of the stories – I certainly did.  It led me to reminisce about parts of my own life, remembering events I thought I had forgotten.  This is a book to not simply read, but to experience.

I received this book from the publisher, Unthank Books, in exchange for an honest review.

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